Etymology

silica

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Today it means: Silicon dioxide. Full definition →

First used 1801New Latin silica ← Latin silex
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The story

  1. Latin · derived fromsilex“hard stone, flint”
  2. New Latin · borrowed fromsilica
  3. English todaysilica

From New Latin silica, from Latin silex (“hard stone, flint”), on model of alumina, soda.

Words from the same roots

Latinsilex all →

siliconsilexsilicicin silicosilicium

First known use, by meaning

  • from 1801 Silicon dioxide.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.